Lung cancer kills more Scottish women

28th October 2009

Lung cancer deaths among woman in Scotland are continuing to rise.

New figures show that the rise in female deaths comes as survival rates among men are improving significantly and is also against the trend for deaths from other cancers in Scotland, which are falling.

Lung cancer deaths in men fell 21% between 1998 and 2008 but increased by more than 11% in women for the same period.

Lung cancer and bowel, breast and oesophagus cancers are still big killers but overall deaths from cancer in Scotland have fallen by 12% in men and 5% in women.

Scottish Labour health spokesman Dr Richard Simpson said: “I welcome the general improvement in cancer survival rates, but I am both disappointed and deeply concerned that more women are dying of lung cancer.

“This mainly reflects the increase in smoking among women over the past 20 years.”

There is also a social divide in cancer deaths in Scotland.

Death rates in the most deprived communities are 75% higher than in rich areas and people living in the poorest areas are 40% more likely to have cancer than those in the wealthiest neighbourhoods.

A Scottish Executive spokesman said: “These health inequalities are unacceptable and we are tackling them on a number of fronts.

“For example, we are taking a wide range of measures to combat excess drinking, making cigarettes less attractive and less available to young people, and encouraging other healthy lifestyle choices.”